Mr. Burstein, I understand some of your concerns. To some extent, you are answering our question when you say that the Crown needed six months in order to demonstrate that individuals had ties to organized crime during the trial you mentioned. The prosecutors came here to tell us the same thing. Law enforcement agencies are concerned about these delays.
The committee could make a proposal. It could suggest, for example, that there be a list of criminal organizations, because I believe that there needs to be a framework. A criminal organization could be put on the list if three different courts have ruled that it is a criminal organization under sections 467.11, 467.12 and 467.13, and the list would be submitted to parliamentarians for their consideration and it could be subject to a review. Would those guidelines reassure you? This would prevent mistakes from occurring if, for example, three young people were found in a park, but did not belong to a criminal organization, and they were eventually taken to court.
I share your opinion: we need to make a distinction between very organized criminal organizations and groups that would not correspond to the definition set out in section 467.1 of the Criminal Code.
Could this not be done by distinguishing between serious and non-serious offences? I would propose, in particular, that a court of justice hand down three decisions, or that a decision be handed down by three different courts of justice. In the case of the Hells Angels, there were four trials. If the Minister of Justice puts together a list, which is then reviewed by parliamentarians, would that not be something that would satisfy you as a lawyer?